Carl 61 Fleetwood Phyllis

[Clewisiii]

Well I have all the chrome that I have identified that I want to be restored in the trunk of my car. All but window frames that is.

I am meeting the guy at the chrome shop tomorrow at 6am. After we start talking of prices I may pull more parts and say don't worry about it.

He said he currently has a 22 week lead time. I don't know if that would be for all that I decide to leave with him. Or if we will do this in batches.

On the one hand I don't like leaving parts that long if they are just going to sit on his shelf for 18 weeks. But on the other if he can work them in here or there I don't want to drive back and forth bringing parts to him. I want my parts there and ready for any time he finds. But it is so hard to find a replacement for any parts if he loose them, goes under like the others, or god forbid passes away in the next half year.

I am overthinking. Thanks for being my therapists.

[Clewisiii]

Well I left 43 parts. $5200

I will do the rest in two more batches.

Headlight, tail light, door armrest switch surrounds. About another $5000

Then window frames. No price on those yet.

[Clewisiii]

I am trying to think through all the parts that I have not accounted for yet to chrome or not.

The covers over turn signal indicators will need to be pulled out. The turn knobs for the air vents. The two vertical dividers between the rear bumper aluminum.

Everything else I have made a determination to chrome or not and have an estimated price.

Even though all it is is spending money. Getting to and past this step feels relieving.

[Clewisiii]

He told me $160 to rechrome the seat switch housing. We are both worried about the lettering.

I can buy new switch button assembly for $45. Mine is broken anyway. I need to order more retainers. But they are currently on back order. I will wait and order as a group so I get free shipping.

[Clewisiii]

My reinforced rubber arrived to remake the rubber loops that retain the ebrake cables.





I made four to have spares.



The only annoying thing the new rubber has two reinforced layers. The old had more.



I still need to have the barrel ends installed to my ebrake cables.

[Clewisiii]

You know what is sad but also comforting.

Since I am a fool spending all this money to restore a four door Fleetwood. If I tried to sell the car when done, I would probably get the same amount of money, or more, parting the car out rather then selling it whole.

I would still loose tens of thousands either way. But I am not in a position that the car has to be completed to be valuable. Where others strip a car, maybe get engine running, then do bodywork to primer, get in trouble and try to sell the car for what they think the value they put into it is. They can only expect a little over scrap or parts value then.

But since I focused on all the parts and details first. The parts are holding my value even if the body never gets completed. The value in two 61 fenders and two 61 fenders skits still protect my "investment" along with all the other boxes up parts I have done and ready.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Rest assured, there is nothing wrong with any 4 door Sedan.

They are convenient, stylish, and very comfortable.

Bruce.

PS.   Coupes look nice, and sporty, but have you ever tried to get in and clean the inside of the rear window.   Muscle Cramp comes to mind.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Again its always a pleasure seeing these posts.  Your dedication to making it perfect are amazing.

[Clewisiii]

Random little question. I can see evidence that the lettering in the seat switch was painted.


But no evidence that the lock buttons were painted. Can you confirm.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

The 64 has white lettering on the door locks and flat black paint on the door switches.

[James Landi]

"Since I am a fool spending all this money to restore a four door Fleetwood. If I tried to sell the car when done, I would probably get the same amount of money, or more, parting the car out rather then selling it whole."

Carl,
Given the fact that there are over 3100 Billionaires in the world, you'll be in the unique position to "name your price" simply for the scarcity value of your creation. When you decide to sell it, find yourself a buyers' agent who has establish entre to potential very deep pocket collectors. I suspect market value will prove to be entirely irrelevant if you find the right buyer.   James

[Clewisiii]

It has only been a week. But I do not feel confident that these backordered clips will be restocked soon. I don't assume many people restore them.

[Clewisiii]

I took apart my wiper switch to clean and repaint it.

I took this apart and reassembled once before. But this time it sprung apart so it might take me time to figure out how to reassemble it.

[Clewisiii]

I believe this is the proper stack.

[Clewisiii]

Paint stripper to clean up the face.

Sonic cleaner for a while to remove residue

Acetone wipe to prep.

Taped off and painted but for lettering. I have to decide how long I want to wait before I remove the paint. And how exactly I will remove paint from letter tips.

[Clewisiii]

I don't like the SEM trim black for this job. The paint pulls away from edges while drying. I have painted more coats then I am comfortable with.

I will let it dry then test my ability to remove the paint from the letters. If I am happy enough I will leave it. If not I will strip and repaint with Krylon Industrial Semi Flat.

[Clewisiii]

Ya I don't really like the paint. But it does look good.

It is above the Wash and below the push button that did not fill with paint. This was after 5 coats.

[David King (kz78hy)]

wood tooth picks work good to remove paint in tight areas and also to touch up when you dip them in paint.

[Clewisiii]

It is touched up reassembled and I am happy.

I really wanted to push it back into the repainted dash end piece. But I decided that was premature.

[Clewisiii]

My replacement seat switch internals arrived today. Along with the rest of my switch retainers.

I still need to have the outer housing rechromed. It is to visible to leave it with the pits.